Local search party to hunt bushes for missing Ashburton man

AN Ashburton man, Garry Nicholas (36), is missing after he disappeared six weeks ago, apparently on his way back home from the shops.

His landlord, Les Smith (80), believes that he may have been forced off the road on Polly Shortts while driving to or from the bottle store.

“The bush is thick on Polly Shortts. He may well be deep in the bushes,” Smith said. “The police have done nothing for three weeks … that's why we need to scour the bushes ourselves.”

Smith contacted Weekend Witness in the hope of appealing to the public to join a search party.

Nicholas has a wife and two children, aged two and four. Smith has tried to contact them on numerous occasions, but has been unsuccessful.

He has visited the bottle store, but found nothing to show that Nicholas had been abducted.

There is no indication that Nicholas left on purpose because all his possessions are still in his flat.

The search party is to meet at the top of Polly Shortts at 8 am tomorrow morning.

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